1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to water slides and more specifically it relates to a water slide system for easily converting a conventional backyard slide into a water slide.
Backyard slides are a common object in the backyards of houses, especially where children reside. Backyard slides generally comprise a ladder with a downwardly angled slide portion extending from the upper end of the ladder wherein individuals can slide down upon. Unfortunately, conventional backyard slides are not as suitable for utilization as a water slide. Hence, there is need for an assembly that converts a conventional backyard slide into a fun to utilize water slide.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ground level water slides for children and adults have been utilized for many years. An example of one such device is the "Wham-O Slip n'Slide," which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,982,547. Additional related patents include U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,671 to Smollar et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,602 to Katz et al.
The first ground level water slides were an elongated strip of plastic spread along the ground and wet down with a conventional garden hose. Other devices included a means for securing to the ground surface along with a built in sprinkler system that delivered water to the plastic sheet from a conventional garden hose. The individual would run toward the strip of plastic and belly flop onto it. The individual's inertia causes the individual to slide over the surface of the sheet. Water upon the plastic sheet significantly reduces the friction thereby allowing the individual to achieve significant distances from a simple run.
Later versions of the water slide sheet included a sprinkler as part of the sheet, functioning enhanced using a perforated tube positioned lengthwise along one or both edges of the sheet. A more elaborate variation of the same idea is the "Wet Banana".TM. slide manufactured by Koki, Inc. It has a rectangular plastic sheet, metal brackets to attach the plastic sheet to the ground, and a "Banana" sprinkler that is curved and has water emission holes positioned along the curves so that the water spray covers an area of the plastic sheet.
Other classes of aquatic toys include specialty water slides manufactured for pool and amusement park use featuring a long slide extending down a hill or otherwise elevated typically 25-30 feet high. These specialty water slides require pools, water filled areas and a relatively large area to function.
Existing water slides may also use flexible material laid only on the ground and covered with a thin layer of water to decrease friction in order to enable an individual to slide across the material. There are various means for attaching the material to the ground and for supplying a constant layer of water onto that surface. Existing ground-based plastic sheets designed for sliding cannot be adopted for use with a backyard slide.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for easily converting a conventional backyard slide into a water slide. Conventional backyard slides do not allow individuals to utilize them as a water slide. In addition, conventional water slide sheets that are spread upon a ground surface do not provide the thrill of playing upon an elevated water slide.
In these respects, the water slide system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of easily converting a conventional backyard slide into a water slide.